Improvement in grain-separators



UNITED STATES: PATENT QFFICE.

HEMAN A. BARNARD, OF MOLINE, ILLINOIS.

IMPRQVEMENT IN GRAIN-SEPARATORS.

Specification forming part of Letters Patent No. 207,236, dated August20, 1878; application filed May 29, 1878.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, HEMAN A. BARNARD, of Moline, in the county of RockIsland and State of Illinois, have invented certain new and usefulImprovements in Grain-Separators; and I do hereby declare that thefollowing is a full, clear, and exact description thereof, referencebeing had to the accompanying drawings, and to the letters of referencemarked thereon, which form part of this specification.

The nature of my invention consists in the construction and arrangementof a grain-separator, having for its object to grade the grain intofirst and second quality, and to thoroughly clean bot-h qualities orgrades without wasting any grain among the screenings or offal, as willbe hereinafter more fully set forth.

In order to enable others skilled in the art to which my inventionappertains to make and use the same, I will now proceed to describe itsconstruction and operation, referring to the annexed drawing, in which-Figure 1 is a side elevation of my improved separator. Fig. 2 is alongitudinal vertical section of the same. Figs. 3 and 4 are detailedviews of parts thereof.

A represents the frame of the machine, at one end of which is thefan-chamber B, with revolving fan G therein. The inner portion of thefan-case B opens into a screenings-chamber, D, which terminates at apoint where it is provided with a hinged valve, a, as shown.

E is a suction-chamber, and F a separat ing-trunk. b is a passage fromthe bottom of the chamber E into the trunk F. dis a passage above thetrunk F from the chamber E to the chamber D. e is a passage from nearthe top of the trunk F into the chamber 1). In the passages 61 and e arevalves I I, for regulating the suction, said valves being adjusted fromthe outside of the machine by means of levers H H, held to curved guidesor racks J J by set-screws ff or other suitable means.

In front of the chamber E are two separating-trunks, L L, which areseparated by means of a passage, M. This passage is provided on oppositesides with alternating inclined cantboards h h, below which is a narrowpassage,

t. Directly below the passage 43 is a dividing peak or cone, m, withpassages 12 n at the sides, leading into the trunks L L.

Above the frame A is a series of sieves, N N, arranged in a frame, 0,which frame is supported at both ends by spring-arms P; At the frontend, on each side of the frame 0, is an ear, 1?, through which passes arod, k, said rod being secured in a standard, R, on the main frame A.Surrounding the rod 70 is a spiral spring, 8, the tension of which isregulated by a nut, t, on the rod, and all arranged, as shown, to throwthe sieve-frame O rearward.

Under the frame 0, in suitable hangers attached thereto, is placed ashaft, 1;, and on the same are secured pulleys S S, which are acted uponby means of eccentrics V V on a shaft, w, having suitable bearings onthe main frame. As the shaft to rotates, the eccentrics V move thesieves forward, and the springs s throw them rearward again.

Over the upper rear end of the sieves is a conveyer, W, of any ordinaryconstruction, into which the grain is received and deposited on thesieves N. These sieves remove the coarse matter, such as weeds, sticks,straws, oats, &c., which are discharged through suitable side' spouts,while the grain is discharged into feeding-tubes w, and drop into thechamber M between the double separating-trunks L L, and passes over thecant-boards h, which spread the grain into the narrow passage 2', whenit falls on the dividing peak or cone/m. This divides the grain intoequal parts, onehalf falling into each trunk L and discharging at thebottom thereof.

There being two distinct separatingtrunks, L L, a single narrow passageinto the chamber M would not answer; and hence I have pro vided theseries of feed-tubes a: w, to allow the draft from the outerseparating-trunk to pass between them and carry the screenings into thechamber E. The screenings and light or second quality of grain requiredto be separated are drawn by the air-suction into the chamber E, fromwhence it flows into the sepa rating-trunk F, where all the light andworthless screenings are drawn out by the air-sue tion, the heavy partor second quality of grain being discharged at the bottom of said trunkF. The light worthless screenings are drawn into the large chamber D,where they settle and fall out through the valve a, the dust going tothe fan.

It will be seen that by my construction of the parts, as abovedescribed, the grain, as it passes down through the seed-chamber M, is,by the cant-boards h, so distributed as to reach the passage '5 in asteady stream or sheet; and this passage 71 being vertical, narrow, andelongated, the grain is discharged uniformly in a vertical stream uponthe peak m, and by the same evenly divided, so that one-half passes intoeach of the air or separating trunks L L. These trunks are entirely openat the bottom, so that the air can be drawn in and the grain dischargedfreely.

By the use of the two separating-trunks L L, one on each side of theseed-chamber M, I obtain double the amount of separating-surface in amachine of a given size.

The first quality of grain is discharged at the bottom of the trunks LL, while the second quality is discharged at the bottom of the trunk F,and the screenings are discharged from the bottom of the chamber I). Thescreenings and second quality of grain, which pass into the chamber E,are thus subjected to another current of air in the separating-trunk F,to be reeleaned, and the second quality of grain and screenings entirelyseparated.

Having thus fully described my invention, what I claim as new, anddesire to secure by Letters Patent, is

1. In a grain'separator, a shaft, 2;, running in bearings connected tothe shaker-frame O, and provided with friction-pulleys S S, incombination with the eccentrics V and the springs s, substantially asand for the purposes herein set forth.

2. The two 0pen-bottomed air-trunks L L, in combinationwith the centralseed-chamber M, substantially as and for the purposes set forth.

3. The combination of the two air-trunks L L, with upward draft throughthe same, and the central seed-chamber M, having a single outlet nearthe bottom, on each side, into the air-trunks, as set forth.

4. A series of feed-tubes, ac w, in combination with the seed-chamber Mand't-he two separating-trunks L L, substantially as an d for thepurposes herein set forth.

5. The seed-chamber M, provided at or near its lower end with the narrowvertical elongated passage i, in combination with the peak m below saidpassage, and the outlets n a, substantially as and for the purposesherein set forth.

6. The combination of the two open-bottomed air or separating trunks L Lwith a central seed-chamber, M, and the screenings-chamber E,substantially as herein set forth.

7. The screenings-chamber E, in combination with the open-bottomed trunkI, for the purpose of recleaning the screenings, as set forth.

8. The trunk I, located between and in combination with thescreenings-chambers E and D, substantially as and for the purposesherein set forth.

9. The combination of the passage M, double open-bottomed trunks L L,chamber E, separating-trunk F, and screenings-chamber D, substantiallyas and for the purposes herein set forth.

In testimony that I claim. the foregoing as my own I aflix my signaturein presence of two witnesses.

H. A. BARNARD/ IVitnesses:

ELSWORTH MAPns, WM. 0. BENNETT.

